@Dutchess_III
Yes.
Also, some insurers are waiting it out so that the insurance companies already participating in the exchange will enroll the huge influx of sick people and once that is complete, those insurers that waited at the sidelines will then join the exchange and profit from the those healthy individuals who didn’t sign up.
However, this individual mandate is a big concern for all the insurance companies. If the young and the healthy drop out because it is cheaper to pay a penalty, then insurance will only be attractive to the sick and old. If the sick and old are the majority of the pool, then the price of the insurance will rise for those who young and healthy who already have insurance. This, in turn, will cause even more young and healthy people to drop their plans. When that happens, most insurers would drop out of the exchange because they can no longer make a profit and since most insurers would drop, you would have less competition, so you would see even higher premiums.
Also, if someone young and/or healthy were to get sick, they don’t have to wait long to get coverage thanks to the ACA law. You just sign up when if and when you get sick and avoid paying for it until it actually happens.
Yes, pre-existing conditions would be the main compliance issue. Also, regulations on pricing, quality and transparency.